Anchored Posts

Saturday, May 30, 2009

The NHL's Draft Combine is underway and a couple of future Wolverines did very well. THN cites freshman-to-be Chris Brown and 2010-commit Mac Bennett as "particularly impressive" in the vertical leap challenge, and Bennett killed on the Wingate bike, said to be one of the more difficult tests.

Edit: Bennett was also second in the push-up competition, doing one fewer than Kyle Palmieri. He won the standing long-jump competition.

MGoBlog found some more stuff about Kevin Lynch, who really helped his stock with his performance at World Under 18s.

And, for a lack of anything better to talk about, I have to comment on the schedule for the Stanley Cup Finals. It's been covered by a lot of people already, but the more anti-Bettman stuff out there, the better, so here's my take:

If you want proof that the NHL is a second- or third-rate sport in this country, look no further than to the fact that they bent over and grabbed their ankles for a TV network that doesn't pay them any money. The state of hockey in this country is so piss-poor that they were willing to compromise the integrity of their championship series just to get two of their games on network TV. Sad.

They're playing back-to-back nights (for the first time in the Stanley Cup Finals since 1955--good omen?) because NBC is scared that if a game went to overtime, it would bump Conan's debut on The Tonight Show? Let's say that again. They're playing back to back nights because if the game ran long, Conan would be delayed if it was played during the week.

If Bettman had any balls, he would've told them, "Our game is Monday. You can show it. You can let Versus have it. You can show it and if the game runs over, you can move the game to Versus like you did last year with the Preakness coverage. But we're not forcing our players to play back to back nights in the Stanley Cup Finals." That's what David Stern would have done, considering he basically just did the same thing to one of his owners. "Our game is Monday. I don't care if you've rented out the arena for that night. We're playing."

It says something that the concern with overtime is "What will happen to Conan?" and not "What will happen to our players?" They were so worried about Game 2 bumping back a TV show if the game ran long. What will happen to the players--more specifically the quality of the event--if Game 1 goes triple overtime? You're going to have the players play the equivalent of three games in 27 hours? That's really smart, Gary.

I'm not even coming at this from a "The Red Wings are getting screwed" viewpoint that I've read quite a bit. I don't see it that way. Yes, the extra rest would have helped. Yes, Datsyuk is hurt and Lidstrom is banged up. No, I don't think they would have bumped up the start of the series if it was Pubestache that was nursing an injury. That being said, the teams are getting a pretty equal amount of rest. Both teams have to play three games in four nights, and four in six nights. Both teams will be hurt if the first game goes overtime. And, in fact, I believe the Wings have an advantage in terms of quality depth, so it might hurt Pittsburgh worse (Datsyuk-injury aside--though if he has a broken foot, as have been the rumors, would an extra day really help that much?). This is just a flat-out moronic decision all around.

Does it really help the league to get Game 2 on national TV when it's probably not going to be a showcase of the best the NHL has to offer? Who cares about the quality of play, we're on a TV station that the whole country gets--therefore more people have the ability to make the decision not to watch!

It'd sure be a shame if Joe Louis just happened to have a Yost-like building problem that forced the game to get postponed until Monday.

This is the effing Stanley Cup Finals. The conclusion of the best postseason of any sport. It's not a regular season game that's getting its start time changed. You're lubing up for a TV network that doesn't pay you. They're supposed to get the first two games of the SCF and you let them tell you "But, we don't want to have a game during the week because we have more important things to show."

If you want to be a major sport in this country then act like you're a major sport. Don't beg a TV network to pretty please air your game and we'll accomodate your ever request to get you to put it on. It's pathetic. But not at all unexpected from a league that insists on having as many teams in California, Florida, and Arizona as Canada. And from a league that can't figure out how to get every player in every building once a year. And from a league that continues to employ Dan O'Halloran. And from a league that lets officials change calls based on their intent because they aren't capable of blowing a whistle (I bet Buttman could help out with some pointers). And whose philosophy of "A penalty is a penalty is a penalty" doesn't apply to the Anaheim Ducks. And who can't make up their minds what goalie interference is. (Considering Holmstrom has been called for it when he wasn't in the crease and didn't touch the goalie.) Shall I continue?

They've got the best sport in the world, the best postseason in the world, the best trophy in the world, and yet I've said no less than five times this playoffs "Why do I even watch the NHL?" Even Isiah Thomas couldn't run a league into the ground this badly.

Oh, and lastly, to that d-bag from the Anchor Bar in Buffalo back in 2003 who said the Wings just buy their championships.....enjoy the Wings going for two in a row in the salary cap era. Same playing field, still dominant. Right here, buddy.

Monday, May 18, 2009

There's really nothing going on right now. Given the way Michigan's summers normally go, I suppose that's a good thing, but it's definitely slow around these parts. A few timbits (because I miss Tim Horton's):

-2010 verbal Derek Deblois had his USHL rights traded from Tri-City to Cedar Rapids. If he ends up playing for them, that could be a potential road trip destination next year when the U-18s are playing there. Yes, I did just throw out the idea of taking a road trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.-Youth hockey in Texas is taking off. Contains quotes from Chris Brown and a Jacob Fallon mention.-Here's another article about Brown that I'm pretty sure I linked, but just in case I didn't.....-Stats weren't easy to come by for the prep school kids. NHL.com's draft page has Bennett's stats as 2-9--11 with 10 PIMs in 15 games and Deblois's stats as 10-21--31 and 16 PIMs in 23 games.-Need a gag gift for your favorite FYS hockey fan?-MHNet found a clip about Kevin Lynch.

You stay classy, Anaheim. What I'd like to know is how could anyone actually swing a chair in the Red Wings' press box? The Ducks' GM claims that it was "a complete accident". It was also a complete accident that Cory Perry wouldn't attempt to fight anyone taller than 5'10". And Scott Niedermayer accidentally elbowed Pavel Datsyuk. Pronger's hits from behind? All accidental.

I've never been entirely sure how I feel about teams using Native American mascots. It doesn't bother me, but then, I'm also not Native American so far be it for me to decide if it should be offensive to them or not. I do know that it makes me sad that North Dakota might have to give up their nickname/logo. They've got a lot of tradition with that name, they've quite possibly got the second-best-looking jerseys in college hockey, and it's a classic logo.

They might come up with a new name that doesn't sound stupid (they used to be the Flickertails....probably not going back to that) but nothing will sound right. The suggestions that they become the Soo, Sue, or Sault make me laugh, but realistically they aren't going to do that. I kind of like the idea of not coming up with a new nickname. Just be the University of North Dakota.

-Mike Kemp stepped down as UNO's hockey coach to take a job in their athletic department. He sure didn't put the kabosh on the idea they might end up in the WCHA.

-It sure doesn't sound like the Michigan/FYS Cold War record will be broken by the Camp Randall Hockey Classic. As of last week, only 16,000 tickets had been sold. I bought 1/5 of a percent of those.

Friday, May 01, 2009

Just a reminder that tickets for the Camp Randall Hockey Classic go on sale Monday at 9:30 am EDT. You can get them at the linked site. I've got 31 people confirmed to be going, so there will at least be one Michigan section!

There were lots of JMFC links in the aftermath of the US victory at U18s and MGoBlog pretty much covered them in this post and this post. The interview from The Wolverine (linked in post 2) was pretty awesome. He referred to Jon Merrill as "the next JMFJ" and jokingly referred to himself as JMFC when thanking Bob Miller for doing the interview, which is awesome on a lot of levels. I also thought his comments about Adam Murray were really classy.

Mike Brown is fitting in well with the Ducks. That'll probably be a suspension......

Al Montoya was in net for USA's 6-2 win over France at the World Championships today. They've been going with Robert Esche, but wanted to make sure that Montoya got in for a game. JMFJ is tied for the team lead in goals (4) and points (6) and is playing a team high 19:37 a night.

Links of Note

Twitter

Featured Posts and Exploits

"A small but enthusiastic group of Michigan fans chanted, "Titus sucks! Titus sucks!" When he was off the ice, the group chanted, 'We want Titus! We want Titus!'"
-USCHO

"Though Michigan’s student section is endlessly harangued for its vulgar language, the Yost rowdies can be counted on for at least one good laugh every season. The most recent gem, directed at Northern Michigan goalie and Finnish native Tuomas Tarkki, was a hand-lettered sign wielded by a fan sitting in the front row near the Wildcat bench. The message? The Finnish phrase ‘Tarkki on seula’, which, roughly translated, reads ‘Tarkki is a sieve’."
-Inside College hockey